Feed apparatus for opening machines for fibrous materials



A ril 7, 1964 A. E. CALLAGHAN FEED APPARATUS FOR OPENING MACHINES FOR FIBROUS MATERIALS Filed Aug. 18. 1960 m M n A w m rt l 7 \T/ f i u 70 52 m m 7 u m J u a rU .J. Q L

NV ENTOR ALBERT E. cnwm B 5 k 'rokNEY United States Patent 3,127,638 FEED APPARATUS FOR OPENING MACHINES FOR FIBROUS MATERIALS Albert Edward Callaghan, West Lavington, Midhurst, England, assignor to llirfield Engineering Limited, London, England Filed Aug. 18, 196i), Ser. No. 50,514 Claims priority, application Great Britain Jan. 22, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 1996) This invention concerns improvements relating to feed apparatus for opening machines for fibrous materials of animal, vegetable, mineral and synthetic origin, such as papers, wool, flax, cotton, jute, hemp, coir, sisal, hair, asbestos, glass fibre, man-made fibrous materials (for example viscose rayon and nylon) and textile wastes. This is a continuation-inpart of my co-pending application, Serial Number 837,762, filed August 20, 1959.

The apparatus is applicable for feeding of the fibrous materials to machines comprising a rotatable opening drum or cylinder rotatably mounted in a more or less cylindrical casing and in which the entry for the fibrous materials is between a pair or pairs of rotatable feed rolls.

According to the invention, the feed apparatus comprises a pair of feed rolls disposed in a pivotal head adapted to be resiliently loaded towards an opening drum or cylinder (hereinafter termed drum), with the pivotal axis of the head fixed relatively to the drum axis, in a manner which enables it to yield to variations in thickness of the materials being treated by the drum while also being capable of being relieved of the resilient loading to allow the head to be withdrawn, with the rolls, away from the drum or cylinder.

This feed apparatus is applicable for use whether it be desired that the feed rolls be located at the side of the casing of the drum or substantially vertically above the horizontal axis of the drum.

Preferably the pivotal axis of the head is coincident with the axis of one of the rolls, the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is in operative position the other or inner roll is resiliently urged towards the drum. The rolls are preferably arranged so that in use they are both positively driven, and the rolls may be permanently coupled by gears. Means are conveniently provided for adjustment of the spacing of the rolls in the pivotal head.

The apparatus preferably comprises a base structure on which the head is pivotally mounted and which is fixed to the opening machine or enables the apparatus to be fitted to an existing machine. A feed plate may also be mounted on the base structure, the materials being fed by the rolls to the drum through the gap between a feed surface of the feed plate and the inner roll with which it cooperates. This gap desirably tapers so that it is of gradually decreasing width in the feed direction.

A further or auxiliary pair of feed rolls may also be rotatably mounted in the head to feed the materials to the firstmentioned feed rolls.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates, by way of example, a side view of feed apparatus in accord ance with the invention as fitted to an opening machine.

The apparatus comprises a pair of rotatable feed rolls 1 and 2 mounted in a pivotal head 3 slightly above the horizontal axis of, and to one side of, the opening drum shown partially and diagrammatically in broken lines at 4. The feed rolls 1 and 2 have their horizontal axes lying in a plane inclined upwardly and towards the drum 4 from the swivel or pivot axis 5 of the pivotal head 3. This axis 5 and the rotational axis of the roll 2 are coincident.

Tension springs 6 between the upper end of the pivotal head 3 and frame members '7 of the machine on which the head is mounted by bolts such as 3 urge the head 3, and hence the inner roll 1, towards the drum 4. A casing of the machine, which is not illustrated, has a feed aperture through which the roll 1 projects for cooperation with the drum 4.

The pivotal head 3 comprises two substantially rectangular end frames 9 similarly inclined and pivotal on the axis 5 in plummer block bearings 11 carried on a base structure 12 to which they are fixed by the bolts 8. The end frames 9 are joined by a tie bar and the feed rolls 1 and 2 extend between them. The outer roll 2 has end trunnions which carry the frames 9 and are extended to take bearings in the plummer blocks 10. The other feed roll 1 is mounted by end trunnions in bearing blocks 13 mounted slidably in the end frames 9 and located therein by adjusting screws 14.

At its upper end each frame 9 has a projecting lug 15 to carry an eye-boit 16 attached to the upper end of a coil spring 6 and provided with an adjusting nut 17. These bolts 16 are releasably engageable with openended slots in the lugs 15 so that the head 3 can be relieved of spring loading and withdrawn about the axis 5 away from the drum 4.

Supply of fibrous material for treatment by the drum is in use led to the feed rolls 1 and 2 in a suitable manner, for example on an endless conveyor supply band, and the material passes between the feed rolls to the drum 4. The end frames 9 may carry plummer block bearings, which are not illustrated, for the adjacent roller of the horizontal endless conveyor supply band. The material is guided from the bite of the feed rolls 1 and 2 to the drum 4 by a feed plate or block 18 carried by the base 12 between the rolls 1 and 2 on the inner side thereof. This plate 18 is curved upwardly and outwardly to a sharp ridge 19 lying close to the periphery of the: outer feed roll 2 and extended upwardly and inwardly at its other extremity towards the drum 4 also to a thinly tapered end or ridge 2%.

The feed plate 18 curves generally upwardly in a concave feed surface 22 between the ridges 19 and 20, this surlace being spaced from the periphery of the roll 1 by a gap of gradually decreasing width in the feed direction as shown by the arrows A applied to the rolls 1 and 2. During operation of the machine the materials fed by the rolls 1 and 2 are nipped in, and urged along, the gap formed between the surface 22 and the roll. 1 and supplied to the region of feed of the drum 4 adjacent the ridge 20.

At the ridge 21 the plate 18 may be toothed to comb form, or a comb may be separately applied to the feed plate 18 or the head 3, to cooperate with the drum 4 which suitably is of spiked variety. Alternatively, a series of combs may be used of the nature described in the specification accompanying my above-mentioned copending patent application Serial No. 837,762, filed August 20, 1959 and entitled Machine for Opening, Blending or Amalgamating Fibrous Materials.

At one or both ends of the feed rolls 1 and 2, their trunnions are extended outwardly from their bearings and there carry gear wheels which are not illustrated and by which they are geared together for rotation in opposite directions as shown by the arrows A. A sprocket carried by one trunnion of the roll 2 carries a sprocket, also not illustrated, which forms part of a variable speed chain drive for the rolls 1 and 2. Two upright members 23 are respectively arranged below the lugs 15 to limit pivotal movement of the head 3 under the influence of the springs 6.

In the operation of the feed rolls 1 and 2, the feed roll 1 can yield slightly to variations in thickness of material being treated by the drum 4, against the action of the coil springs 6. The springs 6 are carefully balanced so that they provide a substantially constant nip between the feed roll 1 and the feed plate 18, varying according to the thickness of material being fed. Should an unduly large lump of material pass the feed rolls 1 and 2 to enter the drum casing between the inner feed roll 1 and the feed plate or block 18, the feed roll head 3 can yield sufiiciently or, if necessary, the eyebolts 16 can be disengaged from their slots in the lugs to release the loading of the feed roll 1 towards the drum 4, whereupon the head 3 can be swung away from the drum 4 to remove any obstruction.

During normal operation, the head 3 yields in a very satisfactory manner to variations of thickness of the material and even a comparatively large amount of yield can be accommodated without any fear of the gearing between the feed rolls 1 and 2 becoming disengaged. The use of long-toothed gears in this gearing and resilient mounting of one roll with respect to the other, or the use of complicated chains or belts for this gearing, is thus avoided. At the same time, the feed rolls 1 and 2 can be given various desirable fixed settings apart from one another by slidable adjustment of the inner feed roll hearing blocks 33 in the end frames by means of the adjusting screws 14.

Either or both of the feed rolls 1 and 2 may have a knurled periphery or be wound with wire or other clothing, and an arrangement which has proved very satisfactory in service utilises a plain roll 2 with a wire wound periphery of the roll 1.

I claim:

1. In an opening machine for fibrous materials comprising a rotatably mounted opening cylinder, a feed apparatus for feeding fibrous materials to said cylinder comprising a pair of rotatable feed rolls, a pivotal head within which one of said feed rolls is mounted, said head being pivotable about the rotational axis of the other of said feed rolls, and means resiliently loading said head towards said cylinder whereby said one feed roll is urged towards said cylinder and is able to yield to variations in thickness of the materials being opened by the cylinder, the arrangement of the resilient loading means being such that said head can be relieved of the loading to allow the head to be withdrawn, with said one roll, away from the cylinder.

2. In an opening machine for fibrous materials comprising a rotatably mounted opening cylinder, a feed apparatus for feeding fibrous materials to said cylinder comprising a pair of feed rolls parallel to said cylinder, a pivotal head within which one of said rolls is mounted for movement towards said cylinder, said head being pivotable about the axis of the other of said feed rolls, and means resiliently loading said head towards said cylinder whereby said one feed roll is able to yield to variations in thickness of the materials being opened by the cylinder, the arrangement of the resilient loading means being such that said head can be relieved of the loading to allow the head to be withdrawn, with said one roll, away from the cylinder.

3. In an opening machine for fibrous materials comprising a rotatably mounted opening cylinder, a feed apparatus for feeding fibrous materials to said cylinder comprising a fixed base structure, a pivotal head pivotally mounted on said base structure about an axis parallel to said cylinder, a pair of feed rolls the inner of which is adjacent said cylinder and is rotatably mounted in said head and the other of which is rotatably mounted about said axis, resilient means urging said inner roll with said head towards said cylinder so that it can yield resiliently to variations in thickness of the materials being opened by the cylinder, the resilient means being arranged so that said head can be relieved of loading to allow it and the inner roll to be pivoted away from said cylinder, and a feed plate mounted on said base structure for cooperation with said inner feed roll.

4. In an opening machine for fibrous materials comprising a rotatably mounted opening cylinder, a feed apparatus for feeding fibrous materials to said cylinder comprising a pair of feed rolls rotatably mounted about axes parallel to said cylinder, a pivotal head within which said rolls are arranged, said head being pivotally mounted about the axis of one of said rolls for movement of the other of said rolls towards said cylinder, said other roll being disposed nearer to said cylinder than said one roll,

spring means resiliently urging said head towards said cylinder so that said other feed roll is able to yield to variations in thickness of the materials being opened by the cylinder, the arrangement of said springs being such that said head can be relieved of spring loading to allow the head to be withdrawn, with said other roll, away from said cylinder.

5. in an opening machine for fibrous materials comprising a rotatably mounted opening cylinder, a feed apparatus for feeding fibrous materials to said cylinder comprising a fixed base structure, a pivotal head pivotally mounted on said base structure about an axis parallel to said cylinder, said head comprising a pair of similar spaced end frames, a pair of feed rolls rotatably mounted between said end frame with the axis of rotation of one of said rolls coincident with the pivotal axis of the head, spring means urging said head towards said cylinder so that the other of said feed rolls which is disposed adjacent sai'cl cylinder can yield resiliently to variations in thickness of the materials being opened by the cylinder, the spring means being arranged so that said head can be relieved of spring loading to allow it and said other roll to be pivoted away from said cylinder.

6. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said spring means comprise two tension springs respectively attached adjacent the upper ends of said end frames and readily detachable therefrom.

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said spring means are adjustable to vary the spring loading of said head towards said cylinder.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said feed plate presents a curved concave feed surface spaced from the inner feed roll to provide a gap which is of gradually decreasing width in the feed direction.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said feed surface terminates at its outer end in a ridge lying close to the periphery of said other feed roll.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said feed surface terminates at its inner edge in a ridge arranged closely adjacent to said cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6,579 Bailey July 3, 1849 986,551 Daniels et al Mar. 14, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS 772.167 Great Britain Apr. 10, 1957 

1. IN AN OPENING MACHINE FOR FIBROUS MATERIALS COMPRISING A ROTATABLY MOUNTED OPENING CYLINDER, A FEED APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FIBROUS MATERIALS TO SAID CYLINDER COMPRISING A PAIR OF ROTATABLE FEED ROLLS, A PIVOTAL HEAD WITHIN WHICH ONE OF SAID FEED ROLLS IS MOUNTED, SAID HEAD BEING PIVOTABLE ABOUT THE ROTATIONAL AXIS OF THE OTHER OF SAID FEED ROLLS, AND MEANS RESILIENTLY LOADING SAID HEAD TOWARDS SAID CYLINDER WHEREBY SAID ONE FEED ROLL IS URGED TOWARDS SAID CYLINDER AND IS ABLE TO YIELD TO VARIATIONS IN THICKNESS OF THE MATERIALS BEING OPENED BY THE CYLINDER, THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE RESILIENT LOADING MEANS BEING SUCH THAT SAID HEAD CAN BE RELIEVED OF THE LOADING TO ALLOW THE HEAD TO BE WITHDRAWN, WITH SAID ONE ROLL, AWAY FROM THE CYLINDER. 